Chapter 83: The Red Kite

Seraphine's POV

Ember ran.

Fast. Determined. Her small legs pumping as she chased the tumbling red kite across the grass.

"Ember, don't go too far!" A teacher—Thalia, I thought—shouted from the bench.

But Ember didn't slow down. The kite danced on the wind, spinning toward the trees. Toward the forest that bordered the lake.

I watched her disappear into the tree line. My chest tightened.

"She'll be fine," Cordelia said beside me. "She's a brave kid."

Five minutes passed.

I tried to focus on the sandwich in my hands. Couldn't taste it anymore.

Ten minutes.

The other children had gone quiet. Watching the forest. Waiting.

A teacher stood up. Walked to another. Their voices carried across the grass.

"Something's wrong. She should've come back by now."

"Maybe she went deeper than—"

A scream ripped through the air.

High. Terrified. Young.

Then silence.

Dead silence.

My sandwich hit the ground.

Every nerve in my body went cold.

Cordelia shot to her feet. Her eyes flashed gold—wolf rising to the surface. She turned to Thalia. "Get the children back to school. Now."

"But—"

"Now!"

The command in her voice left no room for argument.

I stood. Legs shaking. Blood roaring in my ears.

That scream. That fear.

My mind flashed back. Kids writhing on the floor. Faces twisted in pain. Voices screaming. Blaming.

My fault. It was always my fault.

"Cordelia." My voice came out steady. Surprising. "I'm coming with you."

She looked at me. Really looked. Saw something in my face—determination, maybe. Or guilt.

"Stay close," she said.

We ran.

The forest swallowed us. Ancient pines blocked out the sun. Shadows stretched across the ground like claws.

The air tasted wrong. Smelled wrong.

Cordelia stopped. Sniffed. Her body went rigid.

"What is it?"

"Wolves." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Not from our pack."

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Three figures stepped out from behind the trees.

Men. Tall. Built like fighters. Eyes gleaming with predatory focus.

The one in front made my breath stop.

Fifty, built like a bull, face like it had met every fist in the territory. Crooked nose, scarred eyebrow, perpetual stubble. But his brown eyes were sharp, missing nothing.

Conrad.

My father's Beta. The man Dad had trusted more than anyone. The man who'd put his blade to Dad's throat. Who'd opened the gates that night. Who'd watched as everything burned.

He looked older now. More scars crossed his weathered face. Gray threaded heavier through his dark hair. But those calculating brown eyes hadn't changed. Still sharp. Still seeing too much.

"Miss Hale." His voice was almost conversational. Like we were catching up over coffee instead of standing in a forest with weapons drawn. "Long time no see."

The casual tone made my stomach drop.

"Don't interfere," he continued. His hand never left his blade. "We're only here for one person."

Cordelia moved first.

She lunged at the nearest fighter. Claws extended. Fast. Brutal.

I dove sideways as the second one came at me. Training kicked in—Dad's training. Muscle memory taking over.

Duck. Roll. Use the terrain.

I grabbed a fallen branch. Swung hard at his knee. He stumbled. I didn't wait. Kicked out. Connected with his ribs.

Pain shot up my leg but he went down.

Cordelia slashed across Conrad's shoulder. Blood sprayed. He snarled. Grabbed her arm. Threw her into a tree.

She hit hard. Didn't stay down.

I blocked another attack. My arms screamed. These guys were strong. Too strong.

But we were holding them off. Barely.

Conrad wiped blood from his mouth. Those sharp brown eyes locked onto me. "You always were stubborn, Hale. Just like your father."

"Fuck you."

He didn't react. Just watched. Calculated.

Cordelia and I fought back-to-back. Two against three. Not good odds. But we were forcing them to retreat. Step by step.

We might actually—

"Don't move!"

The voice came from my left.

A fourth fighter stepped out of the shadows.

He had Ember.

My breath stopped.

She was alive. Trembling. Covered in dirt and tears. A cut on her left arm bled down to her wrist.

But alive.

The fighter—Thorn, Conrad called him—had one hand wrapped around her throat. The other held claws pressed to her jugular.

"Everyone stays put," Thorn growled. "Or the kid dies."

Ember's eyes met mine. Terrified. But fighting not to cry.

Cordelia tried to push forward, but Conrad and the other two fighters closed in on her. Three against one. They weren't giving her any room to move. Any chance to reach Ember.

"Let her go!" Cordelia's voice shook with fury, struggling against the tightening circle. "Your fight is with us. Not her."

"Simple deal." Thorn's grin made my skin crawl. "Seraphine comes with us. Kid lives."

"No..." Ember's voice broke. Small. Brave. "Don't... don't listen to him!"

My vision tunneled. Blood pounded in my ears.

Conrad stepped forward, his weathered face showing nothing. No satisfaction. No regret. Just cold purpose. "Alpha Damien's been looking for you. Thought you could hide here? Thought Alpha Damien would let you go?"

The other two fighters tightened their circle around Cordelia. She snarled, eyes blazing gold, but they had her pinned. Every move she made, they countered. Coordinated. Practiced.

"Sera, don't!" Cordelia lunged, trying to break through. One of the fighters—Kade, I heard Conrad call him—slammed into her, driving her back. "It's a trap. They won't let her go. We'll lose you both!"

"Please..." Ember's tears finally fell. "You have to run! Miss Seraphine, don't listen to them!"

That word. Please.

The same word the kids had gasped between screams. Please make it stop. Please help.

And I'd done nothing.

I took a breath.

Looked at Ember. At her terror. Her courage.

At the blood on her arm. The claws at her throat.

"Okay." My voice came out calm. Dead calm. "I'll go. But you let her go first. Let her run back."

"Seraphine!" Cordelia's scream cut through the forest. Wild. Desperate. She tried again to break free, but Kade and the other fighter held firm.

"Don't!" Ember thrashed against Thorn's grip. "It's not your fault! I came here myself!"

I dropped the branch. Raised my hands.

"Smart girl." Thorn's grip loosened slightly. "Come here. Slowly."

Each step felt like walking through concrete.

My mind went blank. Empty.

This was it.

No revenge for Mom and Dad. No finding Lyralei. No future.

Just this. Just now.

Three steps away.

Two steps.

Ember's eyes locked onto mine. Green. Like mine. Like my sister's.

Something shifted in her expression.

She moved.

Fast. Sudden. Desperate.

Her teeth sank into Thorn's forearm. Hard. Deep.

Blood gushed.

"Fucking little bitch!"

Thorn's grip released.

Ember stumbled forward. Toward me.

Relief flooded her face. Desperate. Joyful.

"Run!" She gasped. "Seraphine, we can—"

I reached for her. My fingers stretched out. So close.

Almost touching.

Kade saw it.

The opening. The chance.

He broke away from Cordelia in one fluid motion. His body twisted, muscles coiling like a spring released.

Cordelia's warning shout tore through the air. "NO—"

But Kade was already moving.

Fast. Too fast.

Time slowed.

His claws caught the light. Sharp. Clean. Deadly.

Ember's smile hadn't faded yet. Still reaching. Still hoping.

My fingertips were inches away. Inches.

Kade's claws drove through her back.

Through.

Out the front.

Blood exploded. Hot. Wet. It hit my face. My neck. My chest.

Everything stopped.

Ember's eyes went wide. Mouth open. That smile frozen in place.

Her body went limp.

Collapsed.

Hit the ground with a soft thud.

Dust rose around her small form.

Her hand still reached toward me. Fingers curled. Trying to grasp something that would never come.

Her green eyes stared up at nothing. Seeing nothing.

Blood pooled beneath her. Dark. Spreading.

The warmth on my face. On my skin.

Her blood.

It smelled like copper. Like death. Like failure.

My brain shut down.

White noise.

Static.

Nothing.

Then—

Everything.

Sound crashed back. Sight sharpened. Reality slammed into me.

Ember's body. Motionless. Empty.

That smile still there. That hope. That trust.

Dead.

Because of me.

Something broke inside my chest. Shattered. Ripped apart.

I screamed.

Not words. Not thoughts.

Just sound. Raw. Animal. Tearing out of my throat like it could bring her back.

Like it could undo this.

"AHHHHHHH————!"